Comparing the analgesic efficacy of erector spinae plane block catheters with surgically placed extrapleural catheters after thoracic surgery: a retrospective cohort study

© American Society of Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine 2022. No commercial reuse. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. INTRODUCTION Inadequate analgesia after thoracic surgery has been associated with postoperative pulmonary complications and prolonged hospital stay. Regional anesthesia provides effective opioidsparing analgesia and has been recommended during enhanced recovery after lung surgery. Surgically placed extrapleural (EP) catheters have been shown to be as effective as thoracic epidural catheters for postoperative pain relief; however, there is scant data evaluating the relative efficacy of erector spinae plane block (ESPB) catheters. In this study, we aim to compare the analgesic efficacy of the two techniques in treating acute pain after thoracic surgery using direct causal effect analysis.